Zelda: Maiden of Time, Daughter of Destiny: A Novel
by jdnsdmfhjgssbdhvkjnfgbsdhclvms
Summary: From the moment of Demise's defeat, Zelda remains on the Surface World to watch over the Triforce, but she fails to realize the powerful forces that wish to erase the goddess Hylia from history's past. The only person brave enough to warn the beautiful and ambitious teen is her closest friend, yet remaining loyal to Zelda could cost Link everything he holds dear.
1. Author's Note

_Author's Note_

IT HAS BEEN A long journey for me into Zelda and Link's colorful world, a journey that began with _The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword_, where I felt that the true potential of the series was displayed. The eponymous princess and her hero have a long and destined history, beginning with the creation of the first installment of the series in 1986 and continuing its life into the 21st century, where it still strikes awe and envy in the people of 2013.

Even through the different story lines and universes these games take place in, Zelda's wisdom still allows her fated hero and friend, Link, to pull through the painstaking trials and evil bosses he must face through his journey to gain the ultimate power, the Triforce, to stop the evil that spreads through their world and restore peace. Spanning over twenty-five years, _The Legend of Zelda_ series as a whole is a memorable look into the world of magic, destinies, and fate.

Now the evil once known as Demise has past. The great legends of the goddess Hylia now include Zelda and Link, while many future stories have yet to come. Zelda and Link are fifteen, and the entire surface world lies before them.


	2. Prologue

_Prologue_

_"To speak the name of the dead is to make them live again."_

- Hylia

IF YOU ARE to believe what the surface dwellers say, then our patron deity, the goddess Hylia, is being erased from existence.

In the sweltering heat of the Surface World's glowing sun, I lay in the shadows of the vast trees in Faron Woods. A warm wind stirred the branches of the apple trees, carrying with it the forest scents of fresh air and freshly-grown fruit. With each breeze the tall grass danced, brushing up against my bare legs. But while I should be practicing at the Knight Academy in Skyloft, I am instead admiring my surroundings, breathing in the cool air around me, waiting for Zelda to arrive with more gossip, where the highlights of today would begin. The words would flow out of her mouth like running water, but I wouldn't be listening. My fever is still high and my shoulders seem too heavy for my body. And while the sun pulled closer to the horizon, and thousands of bees began buzzing in the background, I flinch at the sound of my grumbling stomach that can only spell hunger.

When the trees' shadows began to descend behind me, I crawled from the fading shade and crossed over to the lake overlooking hundreds of fish. I wrapped my arms around my shaking knees, and despite the heat radiating from the cool water, I felt chilled in the summer heat. The silhouettes of surfacing fish moved across my tunic, causing tiny air bubbles to pop at the surface. I leaned in closer to the rippling water, thinking of how Zelda would always tease me about my resemblance to a Goron, and as I examined my complexion closer, I could see that my bright smile _did _resemble a grinning Goron. _I look nothing like a Goron, for one thing, Gorons are a lot taller, and stronger. _I could never imagine myself as anything but a fragile baby Loftwing, and it was only when dusk settled over the Woods that the sound of snapping twigs made me jump.

"What are you doing? Admiring your teeth?"

"You _did _say I look like a Goron."

"Yes, I can see the resemblance. You _are _strong-minded, and you are rather tall."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Stop it!"

Zelda laughed. "I'm only kidding, Link." Zelda approached the lake with a golden basket in her hands, and the smell of food was music to my famished stomach. I peered inside, and numerous fruits I had never seen before were gathered.

It looked like something Zelda would posses, elaborate and costly. These were fruits that Zelda had always told me about, fruits she had seen when she had been here at the Surface World. "These are for you," she replied, and I hastily took the basket.

"What are they?" I questioned. I felt one of the fruit's skin, smooth and soft, and the lime-green hue matched my tunic. "You've told me before."

"They're jujube. Impa helped me harvest some when we were at the Temple of Time entrance. You should see the temple now, its completely covered in vines, but I was lucky enough to find some of the fresh ones left."

I inhaled the sweet smell of the jujube. "Because the temple has been abandoned?"

Zelda's silence was all I needed.

It was all everyone in Skyloft was talking about. How Hylia's temples across the Surface World are being taken apart from their foundations. The marble stones used to build the thousand-year-old temples are now being used for the surface dwellers new cities and monuments. "They are trying to erase Hylia from history's past," she whispered, the braids of her hair brushing up against her face. She struggled to share this news, and even though I was interested, I felt worried as well.

"They don't understand what part Hylia has played in their history. But they will soon."

Zelda hesitated.

"It'll work out," I promised.

The two of us watched the moon rise over the mountains, and only the gods, who must watch us mortals with constant amusement, know what the surface dwellers will do with the ruins of Hylia's temples. But there are many of our friends on Skyloft who believe that when push comes to shove, Hylia's legend will no longer be remembered. Zelda thinks she will be nothing but a wasted memory, and that soon, the surface dwellers will find a new god or goddess to worship. Whatever happens, that night the Temple of Time, continued to decay, and I fear a new temple will rise to take its place.


End file.
